Tomato washing, scalding, and peeling machine



April 13 1926.

H. W. LOWE V TOMATO WASHING, SCALDING, AND FEELING MACHINE Filed Feb. 23,.` 1922 2 sheets-snee*u dimlm,

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April 13 1926. 1,581,071

1-1. w. L owEI TOMATO WASHING, SCALDING, AND FEELING MACHINE Filed Feb. 2s, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 www s?. v wcleceas'edl, Q @4% i Gtbozmg lil at the feed end having` longer and softer the greater' part ot the length of the cylinder (ltr-J6) is made lwith shorter., and stiffer bristles. The longer `bristle section 4:5 preferably extends only over the lirst drain section 26. The rotating brush L16 is connected by a chain i9 and suitable sprockets to a short shatt- 50, suitably mounted in 4bearings onthe frame 10, `the chain i9 being varied in length when the rotating brush A5 is adjusted` vertically. rhe shaft 50 is connected by a chain 51 and suitable sprockets to the shaft 11, so that when the'inain driving shaft 18 is driven to drive the shaft 11 and the cylinder 15-16 the power is also transmittedr through ,the chains 51 and 19 and the shaft 50 to the shaft; of the'brush 45, to drive said brush in the opposite direction from that in which the cylinder rotates, as is indicated bythe arrows in Fig. 3. 'y f i A series of transverse rollers is located beneath and in close proximity to the helizres 16 over the drain section 30, and between the intermediate ring 2O and the ring gear 15 which is at the discharge end oi the cylinder. The rollers 60 lie close to one another, and are inter-connected by inter-meshing gears 61, so that adjacent' rollers rotate in opposite directions. One ot the rollers (SO- the one at tliemend of theV series as shown-is connected by bevel gearing 6., to the shaft 50, so that all the rollers 60 are driven Whenever the cylinder 15e-16 is rotating. A series of rotatablecleaning brushes 63 he -beneath the rollers 60, one brush 63 between each pair orp rollers 60,

I.. and these brushes 63 are connected by gear- 40 ing 6ft to convenient ones of the rollers 60 so that all the brushes Will rotate when the rollers are rotated, preferably so that adjacent brushes 63 Will rotate inopposite directions, as is clear trom Fig. 5.

In operation, the tomatoes are dumped into the feed hopper 65`at the feed end (the right-hand end in Fig. 1) of the machine,

and from this hopper 65 the tomatoes roll through the adjacent ring gear 15 into the inside of the cylinder 15-16. These tomatoes are carried from the feed end of the machine to the discharge end of the machine by the feeding and guiding action of the helixes 16 as the cylinder rotates, and as they are thus ted the tomatoes roll over one another. The brush 45 assists in rolling the tomatoes over one another, as the tomatoes are carried up the side ot the cylinder into contact with such brush, for this brush rolls the tomatoes in toward the center ot' the cylind rs and brushes their surfaces in doing so. As the tomatoes travel along the cylinder ifi-e1", they pass through alternate spnays of cold and hotl Water, *which both wash' them and cause expansion vand contraction of the tomato skin so that it ivillczack by the contraction of the cold Water and will be loosenedyby the scalding action of the hot Water. v This alternate spraying with cold and hotwater may be repeated any number or' times, according to he number ot' groups of cold andv hot Water nozzles 4:0 and l1 provided, but ordinarily three sprayings with. cold Water With two interspersed sprayings or' hot Water are entirely suiiicient; and in some cases fewer sprayings may be used. The first cold-Water spray Washes oil' the dirt, and the long bristies of the brush section 45a assists in iemoving this dirt Without greatly atl'ecting the skin of the tomatoes. As the tomatoes travel through the cylinder, under the tornate k,sprays of cold` and hot Water, the brush section 45h loosens the skin and to some extent peels it oli'. `At'ter the tomatoes have passed the intermediate ring 20, and have come over the final drain section`30, they pass on to the rollers '60, which as they rotate rub and pull oli' the loosened skin from thescalded tomatoes very effectively. The tomatoes project through the openings betiveenH the helixes 16 into Contact with these rollers 60. Y The skin from the tomatoes adheres to the rollers 60, as such skin is pulled oi'ts but the rollers are cleaned by the brushes 68 below them, and the removed skin, in fragmentary form, Lis carried down by the cold-Waterspray into the drain section and out to the sewer. Such skin is also carried in the other drain sections 26 to 2), and is carried ott to the sewer by the cold Water from the sections 26 and 28, but is removed from the het Water by the strainer so that the rhot Water which isreturned to the boiler by the pump 3A may betr-ee from such skin. The tomatoes tree from skin, are discharged from the cylinder 15-16 after they `have passed over the rollers 60, and after removal of the cores by other means, are ready .tor canning by the usual processes.

lVhile the machine as shown performs the cleaning and scalding operations as Well as the skin-removing operations, it is not essential that the cleaning and scalding be done in the machine itself` as that may be done beforehand, and the cleaned and scalded tomatoes passed over the skin-removing rollers 60 by the operation ot' the cyl-r inder 15-16 The invention claimed is:

1.' A tomato peeler, comprising a plurality ot rollers driven so that adjacent rollers rotate oppositely, and means for tun'ibling tomatoes over such rollers.

2. A tomato peeler, comprising a plurality of rollers, and means for tumbling tomatoes transversely over such rollers. v

3. A tomato peeler, comprising a plurality of rollers driven so that adjacent rollers` rotate oppositely, a hollouv7 cylinder lying llO ers, the axis ot said cylinder being transverse to the. a-:es ot' said rollers, and means tor driving both said cylinder and said rollers.

d. A' tomato peeler, comprising a plurality ot rollers, and means tor rolling tomatoes over such rollers comprising a hollow cylinder lying above said rollers and having a helical slot through itl to permit tomatoes within it to project through int-o contact with said rollers, the axis otsaid cylinder being transverse to the axes of said rollers, and means tor driving both said cylinder and said rollers.

`5. A tomato peeler, comprising a plurality ot rollers, and means for rolling tomatoes over such rollers and rotating brushes below said rollers for cleaning them.

G. A device for peelingl tomatoes, comprising means `tor breaking up and loosening the skins ot tomatoes, saidmeans-including a rotating drum through which tomatoes may be passed, said drum having one or more helical slots; in combination with means located near the discharge end of said drum for removing the skins from the tomatoes betere their discharge from the drum.

7. A device :tor peeling tomatoes, comprising means for breaking up and loose-ning the skins of tomatoes, said means including a rotating drum through which tomatoes may be passed, said drum having one or more helical slots; in combination with means tor removing thev skins from the tomatoes after they have been acted on by said skin loosening means but before they have been discharged from said drum. j

8. In combination, a horizontally extending cylinder formed ot one or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means for rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed within it to travel `trom one end or the cylinder to the other, and means 'for providing alternate sprays ot cold and hot water within said cylinder, and a series ot rollers transverse to said cylinder and lying near its discharge end so that tomatoes are rolled over said rollers by the action of the cylinder.

9. In combination, a horizontally extentiing cylinder formed ot' one or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means for rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed within ,it to travel from one end ot the cylinder to the other, and means for producing sprays of hotand cold water within said cylinder at alternate points alongit, and a series of rollers transverse to said cylinder and lying near its discharge end so that tomatoes are rolled over said rollers by the action of the cylinder.

l0. In combination, a horizontally extending cylinder formed of one'or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, meansflior rotating` said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed within it to travel from one end otthecylinder to the other, and means tor `providing alternate sprays ot' cold and hot waterl within said cylinder, and a series ot rollers lying near its discharge end so that tomatoes are rolled over said rollers by the action ot the cylinder, and means l'or rotating such rollers so that adjacent rollers rot-ate inopposite dircctions'.`

ll. In combination, a horizontallyV extending cylinder formed of one or more heli-V cal members to provide one or more helical slots `between them, means tor rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed within it to travel trom one end ot the cylinder to the other, and means for producing sprays oll hot andcold water within said cylinder at alternate Vpoints along it, and a series of rollers lying near its discharge end so that toma.- toes are rolled over said rollers by the action ol the cylinder, and means for rotating such rollers so that adjacent rollers rotate in opposite directions.

l2. In combination, a horizontally eX- tending cylinder formed of one or more helical members to provide one jor more helical slots between them, means l'or rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed Within it to travel trom` one end ot the cylinder to the other, and means for providing alternate spraysot cold and hot water within` said cylinder, and means near thel discharge end ot said cylinder for removing the skinsl from the tomatoes. y Y

4 '13. In combination, a horizontally extendingcylinder Jformed ot one'or more helicalV members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means for rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed'within it to travel from one end of the cylinder to the other, and means for producing sprays oi hot and cold water within said cylinder at alternate points along it, and means near the discharge end ol said cylinder for removing the skins from the tomatoes. Y

lll. In combination, a horizontally extending` cylinderl formed ol vone or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means tor rotating said cylinder to cause tomatoes placed within it to travel 'from one end ot the cylinder to the other, and means -tor providing` alternate sprays of'cold and hot water within said cylinder, 'and a rotating brush near the rising side of t-he cylinder for brushing the tomatoes and rolling them toward the center of the cylinder. i

".5. In combination, a horizontally extending` cylinder formed of one or more helical members to provide one or 'more helical slots resi inder to cause fruit or vegetables placed within it to travel from one end ot the cylinder to the other, and means for producingsprays of hot and cold water within said cylinder at alternate points along it, and a brush so placed that such -fruit or vegetables are rolled in contact with it by the motion or" the cylinder. f

29. In combination, a horizontally extending cylinder formed of one or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means for rotating said cylinder to cause fruit or vegetables placed 'within it to travel from one end of the cylinder to the other, and a brush so placed that .such fruit or vegetables are rolled in contact with it by the motion ot the cylinder.

30. In combination, a horizontally extendi ing` cylinder formed of one or more helical members to provide one or more helical slots between them, means :tor rotating said cylinder to cause fruit or vegetables placed within it to travel from one end of the cylinder to the other, and means outside of the cylinder for acting on said fruit or vegetables as they project through between the helical members during;l such travel along the cylinder.

3l. In combination, a series of rollers arranged so that tomatoes may be tumbled over them, and means for breaking up the skins or' such tomatoes before they are rolled over said rollers. c

32. In combination, a series of rollers arranged so that tomatoes may be tumbled over them, and means for breaking up the .skins of such tomatoes.

83. In combinationl a series of rollers, ad-y MARK w. Lown,

ki/lministrator of the Estate of Harry W.

Lowe, Deceased. 

